Vatican City ? The Vatican is releasing a new series of stamps celebrating Pope John Paul II’s international trips last year, featuring the face of the pontiff and the names of the countries written in their local languages.

Over the next month, the Vatican plans to issue Christmas stamps, a coin marking the 24th year of John Paul’s papacy, and gold coins depicting biblical scenes.

The stamps of John Paul’s 2001 travels – in various denominations of euros – are scheduled to go on sale Thursday, the Vatican said. They depict portraits of the pope beside the names of the countries he visited: Greece, Syria, Malta, Ukraine, Kazakstan and Armenia.